Greening production and processing processes to meet export requirements is currently a trend and a requirement for all industries, including the pangasius industry.

Efforts to mobilize financial resources for greening

Grasping market information and market demand is the first step for the industry to develop. The pangasius industry, with its formation and development process, to billion-dollar exports over nearly 30 years, has gradually affirmed its position in the Vietnamese agricultural system and the global food distribution system. In 30 years, Vietnamese pangasius has been present in 150 markets with many ups and downs but still stands firmly alongside many other white-meat fish, thanks to the efforts of the Vietnamese pangasius processing and exporting business community.

According to Ms. To Thi Tuong Lan, Deputy Secretary General of the Vietnam Association of Seafood Processors and Exporters, greening the entire chain of production, processing and consumption of agricultural products in general, and seafood in particular; including pangasius is a requirement of the European market. However, this is also a common global trend in the coming time, when countries aim to protect the global environment and reduce emissions in production sectors. Greening the seafood production and processing process in general, and the pangasius industry in particular, has been mentioned by the entire industry for many years. However, the preparation for greening is still quite slow. Enterprises with resources and long-term market orientation are preparing for this market approach.

However, in the pangasius industry, there are also many small and medium-sized enterprises that lack the resources to invest in the greening process of the entire production and processing chain. In response to the requirements of the European market, which requires the completion of Net Zero emissions reduction within 10 years, enterprises are also making efforts to mobilize financial resources to green, instead of just using resources to cover factory operations and take care of workers' lives as they do now.

As one of the five largest pangasius processing and exporting enterprises, Vinh Hoan Joint Stock Company has prepared for this trend for five years. According to Ms. Nguyen Ngo Vi Tam, General Director of Vinh Hoan Joint Stock Company, at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 26), Vietnam committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions in agriculture with a roadmap to 2030, reducing by 30% compared to 2020 and achieving zero net emissions by 2050.

Vietnam's main action program includes developing ecological agriculture, building a transparent, responsible and sustainable food system for the period 2022 - 2030. In the future, Vietnam may apply emission quota allocation per unit of product... When these regulations come into effect, the reduction of emissions in the seafood industry will become a compliance issue. Vinh Hoan, since 2018, has successfully built a "green farm" program with a closed process of raising and producing pangasius, controlling from breeding, farming, harvesting to processing, marketing and sales. Vinh Hoan does not ignore the parts that were previously considered waste products of pangasius such as skin, fat, and internal organs. Currently, these parts are processed into pangasius oil, fried pangasius skin, collagen, gelatin, fish bladder and frozen pangasius stomach.

These products are well received by consumers along with frozen pangasius fillets, which is proof that Vinh Hoan's production and processing chain is moving towards effective greening. In addition, the use of renewable energy (solar energy) is also included in the processing plant to reduce the use of thermal power sources, and the water after treatment is also reused for cleaning activities and landscape care of the factory.

Export forecast of over 2 billion USD

Processing tra fish for export at Caseamex Joint Stock Company, Tra Noc Industrial Park, Can Tho City. Photo: Thanh Liem/VNA

Although greening the entire process is a mandatory requirement, each unit and enterprise has its own internal strength, and the progress of each unit is certain. However, with the efforts of the entire production system and the attention of ministries and branches, it is the driving force for this green chain to be completed soon.

The pangasius industry is forecast to complete the export target of more than 2 billion USD in 2024, contributing to bringing seafood exports to the target of 10 billion USD as set by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in early 2024. Although the economic and political developments of countries in the past year have had many obstacles to the production and export of pangasius in particular and seafood in general, the pangasius industry has achieved results beyond expectations.

According to Mr. Tran Dinh Luan, Director of the Department of Fisheries, along with the urgent requirements of the industries and the regulations of the import markets, the Department of Fisheries has a policy to guide the seed production units to invest in technology in the production process of pangasius seeds so that in the coming time, the pangasius industry can keep up with the market progress and reduce emissions throughout the production and processing process. This is also a step in the preparation of the pangasius industry for the upcoming year 2025.

The Department of Fisheries also provides technical guidance on caring for pangasius by applying microorganisms to treat pangasius emissions on-site. By applying technology to pangasius farming to reduce energy and water use for the entire process, it has proven to be economically efficient in pangasius production and processing. With capital requirements, the Government has also had many policies to support seafood enterprises in accessing capital with appropriate interest rates. The Department of Fisheries has introduced small projects and innovative models to reduce energy and production costs to enterprises to implement green production and processing in the pangasius industry chain.

By 2025, Vietnamese pangasius will still be a food source to meet consumer demand, so it will still be an industry with a large production and export scale. Because Vietnamese pangasius production accounts for 42% of the world's pangasius production. Mr. Phung Duc Tien, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, shared that the development of the pangasius industry still follows the new direction of the seed system and breeding facilities ensuring biological safety. Therefore, leading localities in pangasius farming such as Dong Thap, An Giang, and Can Tho plan land to develop the biological pangasius seed industry, balancing nutrients with the lowest cost to be able to compete in the world market.

Source: Tin Tuc Newspaper